Baton



June 20, 1961 E. J. ROHMANN BATON Filed April 22, 1959 INVENTOR.Jfia/mzann,

Edward my I United States Patent 2,988,949 BATON Edward J. Rohmann, 628Parkside St., Elmhurst, 111. Filed Apr. 22, 1959, Ser. No. 808,079 3Claims. (Cl. 84-477) This invention relates to batons and moreparticularly to the type twirled by drum majors and majoret-tes.

The twirling of a baton has been in the past limited to those who havegained the necessary aptitude to rapidly manipulate the baton amongtheir fingers. This aptitude was gained only through considerablepractice and skill. However, the increasing popularity of baton twirlingas an entertaining spectacle or self-amusement has created a need for aneasy to operate baton.

The present invention provides a baton structure to meet the above need.The operator need only grasp a handle disposed near to the middle of thebaton and move the handle in various gyrations. The baton will swivelabout an axis transverse to baton shaft, thereby simulating a number ofseemingly diflicult finger sequences.

The primary object of my invention is to provide a new and improvedbaton.

A further object of the invention is to produce a baton having a handlemeans swivelly connected thereto to permit baton twirling without fingermanipulations.

Another object is to provide protective end pieces preventing excessivedamage from dropping.

Another object is to provide a baton have unequal arms and unequallyweighted ends to create a necessary twirling momentum upon movement ofthe baton handle.

A still further object is to provide a durable and economical twirlingbaton.

These and other objects and advantages will be more apparent from thefollowing detailed description, and drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a pictorial view of a girl holding the handle of the batondevice in operating position.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the baton device having a out-away portion toshow the construction of one end.

FIG. 3 is a plan view taken of the device shown in FIG. 2 rotated 90therefrom.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged detailed sectional view of the handle portion ofthe baton, taken along line 44 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the handle portionof another modification.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, wherein like numeralsare used to designate similar parts, there is shown in FIG. 2 a batongenerally designated having a circular cylindrically shaped tube orshaft 11. The shaft can be aluminum tubing, as shown in the presentembodiment, or any durable and suitable material. Intermediate betweenthe ends of the shaft, but oflfset from the middle, are diametricallyopposite openings 12 and 12 drilled through the shaft to receive aswivel bolt 13. The bolt has a head 14 disposed against the shaftsurface surrounding the opening 12. An annular handle knob 15 isrotatably mounted on the bolt shank 16 protruding from the opening 12'and is spaced from the shaft by an integral cylindrical sleeve portion17 encircling the bolt shank. The handle knob is rotatably secured onthe shank by a speed nut 18 fastened to end 19 of the bolt shank. Thespeed nut is recessed within a cut-away portion of the outer surface ofthe handle knob to permit an unobstructed grip to be attained. Thehandle knob and spacer can be made of plastic, as shown in the presentembodiment, or of any suitable lightweight material.

A distinctive feature of my invention is the mounting of the handle knoboffset from the middle of the shaft. The longer shaft arm 26 provides agiven weight at a 2,988,949 Patented June 20, 1961 greater distance fromthe swivel than arm 25, thereby enabling a slight movement of the handleto create a swinging momentum in arm 26.

As shown in FIG. 2, a lead plug 20 is inserted in the shaft end 21 toadd a given weight to the end. Rubber end pieces 22 are adapted to fitabout ends 21 and 23 thereby protecting against damage from dropping.The rubber end pieces additionally add weight to the outer extremitiesof the baton arms 25 and 26.

In the modification as shown in FIG. 5, a stub arm 24 is fixedlyattached normal to the shaft 11 at a point offset from the middlesection of the shaft. The stub arm has an enlarged base 27 to permit astronger attachment by the use of welding or other industrial adhesive.The stub arm has a ball shaped end 28 to mate within a socket 29. Thesocket has a circular cylindrical extension 30 passing through anannular handle knob 31. A speed nut 32 is fastened to outer end 33 ofthe socket extension to swivelly secure the handle knob on theextension.

To operate a user grasps the handle knob in one hand and merely gyratesthe handle in any suitable rotary or spiral motion. The heavily weightedend, having the longer twirling arm, will be actuated by a centrifugalforce to spin about the swivel bolt or within the socket as the case maybe. There is no need to spin the baton shaft with the other hand.

Although specific embodiments of my invention have been shown anddescribed, it is to be understood that such description is forillustrative purposes only. The invention is to be limited only by theappended claims.

I claim:

1. An easy-to-operate baton, comprising, in combination: a hollowstraight shaft; a handle; means connecting the handle to the shaft at apoint offset from the middle of the shaft, to permit the shaft to rotateabout an axis transverse to said shaft, said means including a shankpassing through the handle and shaft, a spacing sleeve disposed betweenthe shaft and the handle and disposed concentrically about the shank, ahead at one shank end and a fastener at the other shank end to rotatablysecure the shaft and handle theretogether, said spacing sleeve and shankhead having bearing surfaces on their inner faces to engage the shaftand prevent relative longitudinal movement therebetween, said shaftbeing free to rotate about said shank upon gyration of said handlecausing said shaft to develop momentum in its longer side and overcomethe friction of said bearing surfaces and said shank.

2. A baton, comprising, in combination: an elongated shaft; a handlerotatably connected to the shaft at a point intermediate the ends ofsaid shaft, said handle being generally torus shaped providing acomfortable and easily enclosed grip for the hand; means connecting thehandle to the shaft to permit the shaft to rotate about an axistransverse to said shaft, said means including a shank passing throughthe handle and shaft, said handle having an integral sleeve extensiondisposed between the shaft and handle and disposed concentrically aboutthe shank, a head at one shank end and a speed fastener at the othershank end to rotatably secure the shaft and handle together, said speedfastener lying within the handle torus to maintain the comfortable grip;a weight plug inserted in one end of said shaft, the distance from saidshank to said one end being greater than the distance from said shank tothe other end of the shaft, whereby the shaft will overcome the frictionof said connecting means and rotate about the shank upon gyration ofsaid handle means.

3. An easy-to-operate baton, comprising, in combination: a hollowelongated straight shaft; a handle to cause said shaft to rotate; meansinterposed between the handle and the shaft at a point offset from themiddle of the shaft to permit the shaft to rotate about an axistransverse to said shaft, said means including a stub arm projectingfrom said shaft at a point intermediate the ends of said shaft, saidstub arm having a ball at the projecting end, a socket adapted to matewith said ball on the end of said stub arm, said socket having acylindrical extension passing through said handle, and a fastenermounted on the outer end of the sqeket extension thereby rotatablyfastening said handle to said sock'et extension.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSLeonard Sept. 7, 1937 Rosen June 24, 1941 Foster Oct. 5, 1948 Harrold eta1. Nov. 12, 1957 Kaplan Dec. 29, 1959

